
THEO. T.CRANE 




Class Q f\ \ 'd 5 

Book k/ %& 

Copyright^ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



THE REASON WHY 



BY 

THEO. T. CRANE 




BROADWAY PUBLISHING CO. 

835 Broadway, New York 

BRANCH OFFICES: WASHINGTON. BALTIMORE 

INDIANAPOLIS. NORFOLK. 



\>* 






Copyright, 1912, 

BY 

Theo. T. Crane. 



. r 

£C!.A314435 
i r. r 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I The World Battle , 9 

II Leaders of the Hosts 12 

III The Battleground 15 

IV The Eternal Deliverer 20 

V The Separation 23 

VI The Forgotten Past — ... 26 

VII The Early Faith 32 

VIII Christ's Help by Humiliation 35 

IX The Final Inference 37 



THE REASON WHY. 

We have been taught that "God is a Spirit, Infinite, 
Eternal and Unchangeable in His Being, Wisdom, 
Power, Holiness, Justice, Goodness and Truth," Also, 
(( God is Love." 

The question asked here is — Why did this God of 
Love and Wisdom create such a world as this, with its 
trials, sorrows and death? 

MOTTO.— 
Nothing happens. 
God controls. 



PREFACE. 

This little work is written simply for the good it 
may do. Several different ones have asked this ques- 
tion. There is no attempt at word picturing or other 
embellishment, but in condensed form we have en- 
deavored to place the arguments and scripture texts 
before the reader, so as to make plain the arguments 
and the proofs desired. 

The iirst writing made a book over three times this 
size, but we have endeavored to produce the necessary 
arguments in this condensed form for the reader s 
benefit. 

This is not a new belief or idea, but an old subject 
revived. 

It was the belief of writers in the first, second, 
third and fourth centuries, but since then has been a 
neglected subject. 

The only originality professed is the Bible proofs 
collected and used in the argument. 

Author. 



7 



THE REASON WHY. 



CHAPTER I. 

THE WORLD BATTLE. 

When we contemplate the world in its history, in 
its grandeur, in the wonderful workings of its forces, 
and the great results recorded, that have been ac- 
complished in the centuries of its existence, we are 
strongly impressed with the conclusion that there is 
a master mind behind it all, and also that at the final- 
ity the result must be a glorious consummation. 

But, strange to say, there is much in the world 
that is not harmonious. 

The whole of creation seems antagonistic, and 
wherever you begin your research, whether in the 
realm of plants, or animals, or men, there are fric- 
tions and wars. Large birds kill smaller ones, small 
birds kill spiders, spiders kill flies. Large animals 
prey upon smaller animals, and one plant kills an- 
other, and a garden planted with choice plants, if 
left to itself, soon becomes a plot of weeds. Thus, 
war seems to be universal and continuous. If there 
is a good influence exerted among men, some evil in- 

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fluence rises at once to antagonize, and hinder and 
destroy it. 

This combat between good and evil is so strong, so 
persistent, and the apparent victories so evenly di- 
vided, that we often hear it asked, "Which way are 
we drifting ?" Are we improving or are we retro- 
grading? Are we really growing better or worse? 

The evil influences are the work of persons whose 
desires are wrong, and they bring evil to pass. 

The good influences are produced by persons of 
good purposes and ambitions, and the effect of their 
activities is felt by all, to their comfort. 

Even those who bring forth evil are themselves the 
recipients of many benefits, which arise from the good 
influences that surround them. 

We naturally look for a leader for the hosts of 
evil doers; and also for a leader for the multitude 
who are working for good results to all men. 

These two factions labor both singly and in compa- 
nies ; and some influences are of so gigantic and far- 
reaching a nature that they could not succeed, except 
by the combined effort of organized and trained hosts. 

Whether working for good or evil, these persons 
can give a reason for their work; and their reasons 
show plainly they have a leader, and the purpose also 
reveals the character of the leader. 

In the following pages we wish to bring out into 
the light these two leaders of good and evil, and to 
prove that the God of mercy and love made this world, 
knowing what kind of a world it would be, and we 
wish to prove that this is the only kind of a world in 
which He could procure the results desired. God is 

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here working out a great scheme. Rev. F. B. Meyer 
says: "Probably in no other way can we explain the 
tragedy of human existence except on the hypothesis 
that God is working out some great problem, in view 
of the principalities and powers in the heavenlies. It 
had to be settled once for all whether love could con- 
quer hate ; whether light was stronger than darkness ; 
whether God could give the Devil full liberty to do 
his worst, and yet master him. 

"This conflict had to be fought out somewhere in the 
universe, and it happens that we have been born into 
the world where the solution is being effected, and 
our lives happen to be elements in the great decision/'* 

The only point of difference between Mr. Meyer's 
expression and mine is found in the words, "it hap- 
pens." I believe God controls, and nothing happens. 
I am sure Mr. Meyer believes so, too. 

We are here because God placed us here, and God 
has a purpose, and God will work out His purpose, in 
His own way, and according to His own divine plan. 
I am certain that the consummation will be glorious ; 
and all who are on God's side, in this conflict, have the 
Psalmist's great confidence, "I shall be satisfied." 



*See "Record of Christian Work/' Nov., 1904. 

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CHAPTER II. 

LEADERS OF THE HOSTS. 

Who are these leaders of good and evil? From 
whence did they come? 

The leader for good is the Son of God, the only be- 
gotten of the Father, even Jesus Christ the Savior, 
who came down from Heaven to Earth, on His great 
mission of love and salvation. 

Strange it is, that there are men living who do not 
believe in or honor this Savior. Even they who con- 
stantly enjoy the comfort of this Savior's influence, 
from which they reap great benefits ; and though they 
see His people working out His purposes, by great 
sacrifices, making great efforts for the comfort and up- 
building of the afflicted and downtrodden of human- 
ity — with all this demonstration constantly before 
them, they treat this Leader for good, at least with dis- 
respect and indifference, if not with scorn and con- 
tempt. These who thus condemn the good are the 
followers of the leader of evil, and are doing his work 
in the world. They may not realize their position, 
and may believe they are "all right" with God. They 
may be exceptionally moral. That will only make 
them the stronger as enemies and does not make 
them right with God. He is a jealous God, and de- 
mands our love. Though morality is necessary to 

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the Christian, morality does not even imply Christian- 
ity. We must be "children of God" if we would be 
saved. We "must be born again." "Believe on the 
Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." "There 
is none other name under heaven . . . whereby 
we may be saved." Out of Christ we belong to Satan, 
the Devil, the Son of Perdition, the Destroyer. 

His work is just the opposite of the Son of God, 
the Christ, the Savior. Christ builds up, Satan pulls 
down. Christ comforts and helps, Satan is constantly 
bringing trouble and weariness and suffering upon 
his subjects. Christ gives life, even everlasting life, to 
all who come to Him. Satan leads to death and de- 
struction, everlasting destruction. 

Every one of us has heard of the Babe of Bethle- 
hem. Every one has a knowledge of the meaning of 
Christmas, and all have heard the song, sung by the 
angels, "Peace on Earth, good will to men." And no 
one need be ignorant of the wonderful story of Christ's 
life and teachings, as found in the Gospels of the New 
Testament. 

The Bible is God's revelation to man, telling who 
God is, and of His great plan of salvation. It also 
tells of God's greatness, and His love; and shows 
plainly the principles that are to control our lives, if 
we would please Him. God also gives many and 
great promises to those who love Him, and keep His 
commandments ; one of which is * — He will keep us 
safe from the power of Satan. And who is Satan? 
Some do not believe there is any such person. Yet in 



* Acts 26-18. 

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the same book that tells of the Savior, we also learn 
of the Devil or Satan. It also tells who Satan is, from 
w r hence he came, and what he is doing here among 
men. If the story of Jesus is true, so is the story of 
Satan. They belong to the same revelation, and each 
has his place in the same story. The story of redemp- 
tion would not be complete without both. Without 
Satan, there is no need of a Savior. 



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CHAPTER III. 

THE BATTLEGROUND. 

In Revelation, XII Chapter, we read "Michael and 
his angels, fought against the Dragon" (or Satan). 
This war was in Heaven; and the great Dragon was 
cast out, that old Serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, 
which deceiveth the whole world, he was cast out into 
the earth, and his angels were cast out with him, caus- 
ing the angels that remained in Heaven to rejoice ; and 
a loud voice was heard, saying, "Now is come salva- 
tion and strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and 
the power of his Christ." This battle in Heaven must 
have been before the creation of the world ; for Satan 
was in the world to begin his work of destruction, with 
Adam and Eve, the first of the human family. This 
battle, begun in Heaven, is now being continued in this 
world. 

Christ and His principles and activities are at war 
with Satan, and his evil works and influences, and 
they have been in active conflict from the beginning of 
the world's history. 

Among the first acts recorded of Adam and Eve, 
God told them * "Of the fruit of the tree which is in 
the midst of the Garden, Ye shall not eat of it, neither 

*Gen. 3: 3-5. 

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Cfje Eeasott QMhv 



shall ye touch it, lest ye die." But the Serpent or 
Satan told them, "Ye shall not surely die, but ye shall 
be as gods knowing good and evil/' and thus per- 
suaded them to eat the forbidden fruit. This was the 
beginning of the great conflict between Christ and 
Satan in this world. Satan was successful and he has 
been contending against God and working for man's 
destruction ever since, and men continue to die, to this 
day, as God forewarned. 

The story of the fall of our first parents as we read 
it in God's revelation to man, in the book of Genesis, 
explains how sin came into the world ; and when man 
refused to follow God, and chose to be led by Satan, 
God cursed the world for Adam's sin; and to Adam 
he said, "Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil 
shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life ; thorns also 
and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ; and thou shalt 
eat of the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face 
shalt thou eat bread, till thou return to the ground; 
for out of it wast thou taken, for dust thou art, and 
unto dust shalt thou return." From this curse have 
come labor and weariness, pain, suffering and death, 
as we see it among all the peoples of the world. Did 
these things "happen" so? 

We believe all these conditions are a great neces- 
sity. God knew these conditions would exist, and per- 
mitted the influences that caused them, and we believe 
these conditions are required, in carrying out the great 
scheme, out of which, a great salvation, and a great 
exaltation, of a very important part of God's creation, 
shall in due time be accomplished. We should remem- 
ber that God did not create sin ■ God made a law, and 

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man broke it, and in breaking the law, became the fol- 
lower of Satan; a sinner rebelling against God. To 
prove the conflict, as we see it in this world, is a con- 
tinuation of the battle mentioned in Rev. XII, 7. We 
read — 'The great Dragon, the old Serpent, called 
Devil and Satan" (these were his original names in 
Heaven), is then called "the deceiver of the whole 
world." This was his new name, in the new field of 
warfare, the world, and suited the new conditions of 
the conflict. 

The Devil deceived Adam and Eve, and all men 
since have been tempted of him. When Satan was 
cast down to the earth with his host he robbed God 
of some of the beautiful angels of Heaven, — by draw- 
ing them into a rebellious war, causing the whole 
army to be driven down to the earth. Now the battle 
will be, to overcome Satan and destroy his influence, 
in order to reclaim so many as are willing to renounce 
their rebellion and return to their home in Heaven. 
The character of this new warfare is shown in this 
same scripture, Rev. XII, "And they overcame him by 
the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testi- 
mony," or Christ's sacrifice, and the testimony of 
Christ's followers. 

This battle is not one of force ; but it depends for 
its success on the drawing of the Spirit, by love. Of 
Christ it is said: He will "draw all men unto Him." 
This might mean that all men would be saved, if it 
were not for two things : 

First; Satan is here, in part successfully, using his 
wisest inventions and greatest powers to hold his sub- 
jects, who as rebels against God, he claims as his own. 

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Second ; God has given man the privilege of choice in 
the matter of leadership, and all are perfectly free in 
their choice. For example, Christ said to the beauti- 
ful city, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest 
the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto 
thee, how often would I have gathered thy children to- 
gether, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under 
her wings, and ye would not." He prophesied their 
destruction thus, "Behold your house is left unto you 
desolate." Thus will Christ draw all men in love ; but 
if they utterly refuse, they will surely suffer the con- 
sequences of their choosing. 

The men who give up their rebellion and become 
followers of the Lamb will exert an influence, by "the 
word of their testimony/' and they may prove their 
devotion to Christ by giving even their lives (Rev. 
XII, n) "even unto death." Then we read in verse 
17, "The Dragon went to make war with the remnant 
of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, 
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." This is the 
plain, simple story told connectedly in Rev. XII. 

In the next chapter we read (7th verse) "And it 
was given unto him to make war with the saints, and 
to overcome them — and all that dwell upon the earth 
shall worship him (Satan) whose names are not writ- 
ten in the book of life of the Lamb, slain from the 
foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let 
him hear." 

Our conclusions must be : If these rebellious spirits 
are to be reinstated into their old, happy, heavenly 
home, they must first prove that they are no longer 
rebels. It would not be wise to allow one rebel spirit 

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to return lest another rebellion ensue; therefore the 
only question is, are we, or are we not, rebels ? Who are 
we following, Christ or Satan ? We choose as we will. 
If then we refuse Christ's salvation, we ourselves 
choose to follow Satan into the place of eternal woe, 
"Prepared for the Devil and his angels." There is no 
other time or place than in this life to make the deci- 
sion and be saved. God will judge and "will render 
to every man according to his deeds." Rom. II, 6. 



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CHAPTER IV. 

THE ETERNAL DELIVERER. 

If Satan was here before the world was created, 
when did Christ begin His work in the world? Was 
His appearance on the earth about two thousand years 
ago the beginning of His work of redemption? We 
read John I, "In the beginning was the Word — All 
things were made by Him, and without Him was not 
anything made that was made.' , Christ was here at the 
time of the creation of the world, and He was here 
for a purpose. The creation of this world was His 
first step in the work of saving the host of angels that 
had been driven down to the earth in disgrace. These 
angels are to be brought into the condition of men. 

This world must be prepared for man to live in, 
where men may be given a free and open condition, 
that they may by their own unbiased wills choose their 
leader, and become the followers of the loving Savior, 
or remain under the leadership of the enticing Satan, 

Christ is here to save all who will come to Him, but 
man is free to choose or reject. We read in Isa. 
XLIII, 10-13, "Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord, 
. . . that I am He. Before me there was no God 
formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I am 
the Lord; and beside me there is no Savior; yea, be- 
fore the day was, I am He." Christ was the Savior 

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before man was created. Christ came into the world 
"to save that which was lost." Not that will be lost 
in the future. Christ was here at the creation as a 
Redeemer and came to save that which was lost be- 
fore creation. This implies some one at that time 
needed a Savior. The only ones known who needed 
a Savior at that time were these angels driven out of 
God's presence as prisoners condemned. In further- 
ance of this thought of condemnation, see Jude, 6th 
verse : "And the angels which kept not their first estate, 
but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in 
everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment 
of the great day." 

Here we have these same spirits, in a condition of 
darkness, and bound in chains. Dr. Albert Barnes 
says in his notes, "This passage in itself does not 
prove that the punishment of the rebel angels will be 
eternal ; but that they are kept in a dark prison, as it 
reads, unto the judgment of the great day," or it is 
to exist forever, with reference to the day of final 

trial. 

"Remember ye not the former things, neither con- 
sider the things of old. Behold I will do a new thing : 
now it shall spring forth. Isa. XLIII. 18-19. Those 
who continue in the control of Satan, and are not 
saved, will always be in darkness, everlasting dark- 
ness. But those who accept of Christ's salvation will 
find in Him the Light, and will be lifted out of their 
darkened condition, into the light of God. 

This is the "new thing," and who are they who are 
to be tried on that day? Man is to be judged, as it is 
written, John V. 29, R. V. "They that have done good, 

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unto the resurrection of life ; and they that have done 
evil, unto the resurrection of judgment." 

This shows that men and these angels are one and 
the same. But we have other proof. See Rev. XIII. 8. 
"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him" 
(the beast or devil) "whose names are not written in 
the book of life, of the Lamb, slain from the foundation 
of the world"; and Matt. XXV. 41, "Depart from me, 
ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil 
and his angels." Thus we see this punishment is pre- 
pared for the Devil and his angels, whose names are 
not written in the Lamb's book of life;, but who wor- 
ship Satan, belong to him, and will dwell with him, 
whom they have chosen to follow, and to whom they 
belong forever. Men are these angels, brought into 
a new condition, in every way favorable to being 
saved, reclaimed and brought back to their heavenly 
home, and men have perfect liberty to choose whom 
they will serve. 



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CHAPTER V. 

THE SEPARATION". 

We read (Luke XV.) a thrice repeated lesson. 
Christ is speaking of his mission in the world, and 
gives three parables as expositions of the nature of the 
work He is doing here. A woman has ten pieces of 
silver, and loses one, and lighting a candle searches 
and sweeps the house through till she finds it. A 
shepherd has an hundred sheep, and one goes astray. 
The shepherd leaves the ninety and nine, to find the 
one that is lost, and when it is found, there is great 
rejoicing. 

In both cases, a whole number is mentioned out of 
which one is lost. We all agree that the lost one 
represents the lost soul, whom Christ came to the 
world to save ; but who is meant by the nine pieces of 
silver that were not lost ? or the ninety and nine sheep 
that were left in a place of safety, while the lost one 
was sought, if they do not represent the angels, who 
were left in heaven, while Christ came down to the 
earth, to find and save the lost ? 

But the third parable, which is that of the prodigal 
son, shows his great love for the lost, and the deeper 
meaning of His salvation. 

Who is represented by the son, who stayed at home 
and who "needed no salvation," and to whom He said 

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"all mine is thine"? If it is only man's salvation that 
is spoken of, and does not refer to the angels in heaven, 
then the greater number from which the lost one was 
separated for a time has no meaning, and we marvel 
that all these parables should teach the same unnec- 
essary lesson as a fact, and of whom, except these 
angels can it be said, "they need no salvation" ? 

We cannot explain this passage in any other way 
than that the lost money, the lost sheep and the prod- 
igal represent the angels lost to heaven and now found 
on the earth; and the larger numbers of money and 
sheep, and the good son represent the angels left in 
heaven who never sinned, but remained in their beau- 
tiful home, where we hope to meet and enjoy them 
in the presence of our loving Father, when we are 
returned from our lost condition. 

When Satan and his host of angels went out of 
heaven, the angels that remained in heaven rejoiced; 
but God had lost some of the loved members of His 
heavenly home, and he mourned over the loss of one 
of the hosts of heaven. 

Therefore, Christ came to the earth, then in a chao- 
tic state, a proper place for rebel spirits, and began 
His work of wonders that surround us, of day and 
night, of animals and a great variety of vegetation, 
mountains and plains, seas and rivers, food to eat and 
water to drink and air to breathe, and then He gave 
these spirits each a physical body, suited to these ma- 
terial surroundings, in which they are to live; and 
each spirit is privileged to renounce his rebellion, and 
to again become a son of God. With this change we 
have our father's promise of blessing in this life, and 

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life everlasting in his kingdom. It is the spirit that 
is saved, the body returns to dust from whence it came. 

Perhaps it may seem too much to believe that we 
lived before this present life began, but see Job 
XXXVIII. 4. God said to Job, "Declare if thou hast 
understanding, where wast thou when I laid the 
foundations of the earth ?" Would God thus trifle, by 
asking this question, if Job were not somewhere at 
that time? 

We also read of Spirits in prison — I Peter III. 19 — 
to whom Christ "quickened by the Spirit . . . preached 
unto the spirits in prison." This is a verse that has 
caused many controversies, because not understood. 
Peter evidently knew something of which we are ig- 
norant. See again Jude, 6 verse. 'The spirits im- 
prisoned (in prison) in darkness/' were capable of 
hearing and understanding Jesus' discourse. Christ 
preaching to them, implies He is their Savior. The 
love of God proclaimed through Christ, and received 
in simple faith, is a fixed fact and no truth is more 
perfectly established. The spirits imprisoned in dark- 
ness remain in darkness in this world, till the Holy 
Spirit opens our eyes to see the truth and understand 
it, which before this new light is given by the Holy 
Ghost is "to the Greek foolishness, and to the Jew a 
stumbling block." 



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CHAPTER VI. 

THE FORGOTTEN PAST. 

Some may say in objection, How is it possible that 
we should have had a heavenly existence before this 
life, and have no knowledge of it now ? This question 
brings to view one of the mysteries of Christ's life in 
this world. 

If Christ came to earth as a spirit from heaven, and 
was born, lived, grew and developed and died as we 
do, why is it impossible that we, too, came from 
heaven? In Ps. XC. 90-1, we read, "Lord, thou hast 
been our dwelling place, in all generations." The gen- 
erations mentioned are first a beginning in heaven; 
second our birth into this world ; and then Christ said, 
if we would be saved, we must be born again, a third 
generation. To understand the expression, our dwell- 
ing place, see Ps. LXXI. 3, "Be Thou my strong 
habitation, whereunto I may continually resort." Again, 
Ps. XCI. 1, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the 
Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the 
Almighty." Again, in Deut. XXXIII. 27, "The Eter- 
nal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the ever- 
lasting arms ; and He shall thrust out the enemy from 
before thee." In Psalm XC. 3, we read, "Thou turn- 
est man to destruction, and sayeth" (God says) "Re- 
turn, ye children of men." 

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This expression "children of men," "son of man" 
and "sons of men" is very frequent in the Bible, and 
Christ called himself the "Son of Man." See Matt. 
VIII. 20 and IX. 6. 

Christ said also (John III. 13) that "He came down 
from heaven." If Christ was a son of man, and we 
are also children of men, we find this a similarity. 

If Christ came down from heaven and became a 
"Son of man," why may we not also have come from 
heaven, and be now sons of men, or children of men ? 
This also makes a similarity. 

Again (see 1st Cor. XV. 20), "But now is Christ 
risen from the dead and become the first fruits of 
them that slept." If Christ is the first fruits, and we 
are the after fruits, here is another similarity between 
Christ and us. See 23d verse, "But every man in his 
own order, Christ the first fruits ; after they that are 
Christ's at his coming." 

See Rev. I. 5, "Jesus Christ who is the faithful wit- 
ness, and the first begotten of the dead and the prince 
of the kings of the earth." Sixth verse, and "hath 
made us kings and priests unto God." Rev. V. 10, "and 
hast made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we 
shall reign on the earth." Here is another similarity 
between Christ and us ; and in Christ we may become 
like him, in all these things. But there is one thing 
in which we are very different from Christ. He is a 
holy and an all powerful being. He gave sight to the 
blind, cured all diseases, raised the dead to life and 
calmed the storm. Holiness and majesty are his, and 
He knew no sin. But we sinful rebels must be born 
again. We must have a new and sinless character; 

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and that can only be attained by a new birth, a spirit- 
ual birth, a birth out of darkness into the light, out of 
death into life, out of ignorance into a knowledge 
of the truth. We cannot obtain this life and light ex- 
cept in Christ. He is the Life. 

After noticing these similarities, let us turn to the 
subject mentioned at the head of this chapter. How 
could we have had an existence before this life and 
not be cognizant of it now? Look again for a simi- 
larity in Christ's life. If when Christ was brought 
before Satan, to be tempted of him, He had realized 
that Satan and everybody and everything that had 
been created was the work of his own power, would 
Christ have been tempted by Satan's offers? Yet the 
record is, that "Christ was tempted, the same as we 
are, though without sin." I believe Christ was still in 
His humiliation when tempted of Satan. 

I believe the greatest humiliation that Christ suf- 
fered for us was the humiliation of coming into the 
world the way we do, being born into the same dark- 
ness (without spiritual vision), and in developing the 
usual way, from infancy gradually to manhood, and 
He did not have a full view of his greatness and 
power until the transfiguration, when He talked with 
Moses and Elijah. We being even more bound in 
darkness, because of our rebellion, our spiritual vision 
is darkened (yes! obliterated), our memory is broken, 
and all we know is what we learn by our physical 
senses — seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling and tasting. 
But there is one way opened to the followers of Jesus 
Christ, by the operation of the Holy Spirit, who has 
promised to open our eyes (spiritual eyes) to know 

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the truth. He has promised, if we ask Him, to guide 
us into all truth. He has also promised to comfort and 
help us in every time of need. And yet we believe this 
condition of darkness is the most merciful state man 
could be placed in, for thus, all knowledge of past 
experience is obliterated, and we have nothing of past 
associations, or influences, or ambitions, no knowledge 
of our rebellion to bias the mind or to interfere with 
our perfect liberty, to return to God. 

In considering the different persons with whom we 
mingle in life we find a great variety of dispositions ; 
the selfish, critical, arbitrary or false, while others are 
affable, genial and kindly. We call these qualities 
natural dispositions. We are all imperfect, but some 
have a greater difficulty than others, to sustain a 
pleasing and proper address, and a good character 
among men. This will be better understood by con- 
sidering that in every rebellion there is a^ leader, and 
he is considered the worst and most guilty. Those 
who follow are of every degree of guilt, from those 
who are rebels from principle, to those who^ are only 
followers from association. So we believe it was in 
Satan's rebellion, and while Christ said Judas was a 
devil from the first, He only gave Peter one look, and 
Peter went out and mourned bitterly. 

So these fallen spirits come into our bodies in vari- 
ous conditions, and control them accordingly. Even 
little children show this difference : some are rebellious 
from the first, and others happy and pleasant. ^ 

We all have a spirit within us, and we realize that 
the I of us is inside and separate from the body, and 
we often have a war with this spirit to keep it from 

29 



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bringing us into sin. We are all in the same difficulty. 
We are all rebels; and yet one has a greater task 
than another to be good. Those who die in infancy 
do not have to experience the trials and hardships of 
the world, and when we consider that a majority of 
the deaths are of little children, we believe that God 
in his mercy takes them to his special care, saying: 
"Let the little ones come unto me and forbid them 
not/' Yet we can all come. No matter how prone 
we are to evil, we have a helper, the Holy Ghost, "God 
working in us, to will and to do of His good pleasure" ; 
and by His help we are enabled to do all things, even 
to please God in our lives, the most wonderful thing 
to contemplate. 

Jesus has lived on this earth and among men, and 
has proved himself in every way. His words were 
such as never man spake, so full were they of the 
spirit of God. His works called forth from his ene- 
mies expressions of surprise and wonder. He de- 
voted his life to doing good to all men, and the in- 
fluence of his teaching is felt to-day throughout the 
whole world. 

He promises that all things shall work together 
for our good, if we love Him. Our trials and hard- 
ships, our losses, disappointments and even our be- 
reavements, shall purify us, and make us fit to enter 
into His presence and Kingdom, in a noble and glori- 
ous condition, made so by the work of Christ and the 
Holy Ghost. 

Should we not be willing that "Satan should sift 
us as wheat" if need be, or to have afflictions or trials, 
if they will purify us and fit ys to be translated to 

30 



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the land of that delightful experience promised to 
them that love Him, and to the realization of the 
promise, "great is your reward" ? 

May we not gladly join in the song, "Glory and 
honor and majesty be unto Him that sitteth upon the 
throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." 



31 



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CHAPTER VII. 

THE EARLY FAITH. 

The early church believed these things. In proof of 
this we refer you to a few passages that use the ex- 
pression, "before the world began," as we find them 
in the Epistles. (See Titus I. 1-2.) "Paul, a servant 
of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the 
faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the 
truth which is after godliness." "In hope of eternal 
life, which God that cannot lie, promised before the 
world began." In the third verse Paul explains his 
preaching as being the fulfillment of God's promise 
in the gospel of eternal life, as it was promised, "be- 
fore the world began." This promise being now ful- 
filled by Paul after Christ's fulfilling his promised sal- 
vation, is certainly meant for man. But to whom did 
He make his promise before the world began, and 
before man was created? The angels who had been 
driven out of heaven seem to be the only ones to 
whom such a salvation would then be at all applicable. 

In this world, by our material natures, we have a 
certain kind of light, not spiritual. We are still in 
spiritual darkness ; but by our physical senses we can 
see and understand sufficiently to grow up gradually 
into an understanding of spiritual things. For an- 
other passage to support this view, see 2d Timothy I. 

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Cfte Heason WLhg 



8-9. "But be thou partaker of the afflictions of the 
gospel according to the power of God, who hath saved 
us, and called us with an holy calling, not according 
to our works, but according to His own purpose and 
grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the 
world began, but is now made manifest by the appear- 
ing of our Savior Jesus Christ. " 

Here we see that God in his creation predestined us 
unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to him- 
self, not according to our works, for we are not able 
either to purchase our freedom or to make a sacrifice 
commensurate with the necessity. All that work was 
accomplished by Jesus Christ, the only one who in the 
eyes of God was worthy, or could make the sacrifice 
or pay the debt. Having predestined us unto the adop- 
tion, all that remains for us to do is to accept the in- 
vitation, become sons of God, and be saved to ever- 
lasting life, and to this end He has chosen us, and 
will bring us back to our heavenly home, as He has 
determined, according to the good pleasure of His 
will, to the praise of the glory of His grace. 

Having made known unto us that mystery of His 
will according to His good pleasure, which He hath 
purposed in Himself, that rebels as we are and thrust 
out of heaven, and down to the earth, and bound in 
chains of darkness unto the judgment day; that we 
may be redeemed, saved to everlasting life and our 
home in heaven. What a wonderful day that will be 
when we shall see Him as He is and know as we are 
known. We will need no sun, for the light of God 
will fill the place with His glory. 

In this scheme, God is supreme. Heaven is His 

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€&e Beason ffllbv 



dwelling place, and heaven is our old home. By His 
grace we return to our home as sons of God, joint 
heirs with Christ, and we will dwell with Him forever- 
more. 



34 



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CHAPTER VIII. 
Christ's help by humiliation. 

How the humiliation of Christ helps us in these days 
of our testing is shown in Hebrews II. 13-18 : 

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of 
flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of 
the same that through death He might destroy him 
that had the power of death, that is the Devil . . . 
for verily He took not on Him the nature of angels, 
but He took on Him the seed of Abraham." 

This teaches conclusively that Christ took upon him- 
self our material nature, that He might be in the best 
condition possible to help man out of his darkened 
state, for in that He himself hath suffered being 
tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted. 

This then is the same expression again repeated. 
Christ created all things and finally man, giving him 
a body of flesh and blood. He then took upon himself 
the same nature so as to master Satan, by His own 
death, and that He might become our sacrifice for our 
sins, and bring us blameless before the Father, 
cleansed, purified, and so made fit to enter into the 
glorious presence of God and to live and reign with 
Him forevermore. Knowing these things, what sort 
of men should we be? How often in our life do we 
come up before two ways, the right and the wrong? 

3S 



Cfje Beaton Wlbv 



Do we realize the importance of our decision, the 
greatness of the question? It may be only, "Shall I 
attend the Sunday ball game?" or "Shall I carry out 
this little scheme and get that little sum ?" "Other peo- 
ple who are thought to be very good do these things." 
But there is more than a Sunday ball game, or the 
getting of a few dollars, in the question. By your 
decision you are answering the question, Are you fol- 
lowing Christ or Satan? Are you seeking a heavenly 
home and everlasting life? Or are you following 
Satan to destruction? Are you willing to be driven, 
as was Adam and Eve, out of the presence of God 
with a curse? This is a constant warfare with us, 
till we become so filled with the Holy Spirit that there 
is no room for Satan to get near to speak to us. "Then 
we can smile at Satan's rage, and face a frowning 
world." 

It is a glorious condition, and full of peace, when 
we know we are fighting under the Lord's banner, and 
it is always floating over our head, both for protection 
and help in time of need. 



36 



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CHAPTER IX. 

THE FINAL INFERENCE. 

We close by asking again the question found at the 
(beginning : Why did God create such a world as this ? 
In this material life we are shut out from all unpropi- 
tious influences, especially from the former conflict, 
and have a perfectly clear and open field before us, 
where we may act independently and freely, and so 
prove to God, ourselves and all about us that we either 
belong to Christ or Satan, and every choice of action 
proves us to belong to the one or the other. 

The effect of sin in the world is death. Weariness, 
pain and sickness all lead toward death. Therefore 
we sleep and eat or take medicine in order to ward 
off death. The greatest gift of God is eternal life. 

With the above in our minds, we must acknowledge 
that "God is Love." Has not God put forth His most 
wonderful powers to prove to man His wisdom, 
goodness and truth, and to prove His love for man ? 

)oes He not, in invitations and persuasions and in- 
ocructions and promises, reach out to cover all our ob- 
jections, to overcome all our prejudices, and to express 
His strongest desire to save all men, even to the utter- 
most? Yet there is one thing that God will not do, 
which is to force men to love Him, or to love holiness, 

37 



Cfje Eeason Wihv 



or to make men hate sin or Satan. God cannot do that 
and leave men free. Man is a rebel from personal 
choice. To prove he is no longer a rebel, he must 
express his submission and loyalty as a personal 
choice. Man alone can thus express his sincere loyalty 
to God, and this is his opportunity, both as to time 
and conditions. They who refuse to accept of Christ's 
salvation are already condemned from before the crea- 
tion of the world, when they were "driven out of 
heaven and down to the earth, bound in everlasting 
chains of darkness." 

(See Ephesians III.) "For this cause I, Paul, the 
prisoner of Jesus Christ, for gentiles. If ye have 
heard how that by revelation He made known unto 
me the mystery which in other ages was not made 
known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto 
His holy apostles, and prophets by the Spirit, that I 
should preach among the gentiles the unsearchable 
riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the 
fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning 
of the world hath been hid in God who created all by 
Jesus Christ, that to the intent that now might be 
known by the churches even unto the principalities 
and powers in heavenly places, the manifold wisdom 
of God according to the eternal purpose which He pur- 
posed in Christ Jesus our Lord/' and "God commend- 
eth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet 
sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. V. 8. How is it 
possible, how can it be true, that Christ died for us 
while we were yet in our sins, if we began our ex- 
istence more than eighteen hundred years after His 
death? Christ had a purpose in the creation that is 

38 



€&e i&easott Wkv 



followed out faithfully to the present time, and while 
the whole story of the Old Testament is proof of God's 
sovereignty, of His infinite power and wisdom, 
Christ's sojourn on earth, both by His life and teach- 
ings, prove God's infinite love. He gave His life for 
His people, and said, "Greater love hath no man than 
this, that he give his life for his friends/' 

But notice, while we were yet sinners Christ gave 
His life for us, and having passed through his humilia- 
tion and suffering, which He suffered for us, took up 
His life again, and now sitteth at the right hand of 
God the Father as our Mediator with God. 

Thus Christ has opened the way for us to be freely 
forgiven of our sins and received again in God's fa- 
vor, and our heavenly home where we will be received, 
not like Adam, an innocent, but having passed through 
this world with its trying experiences, we are made 
strong, virtuous, tried and proved sons of God, born 
again, accepted of God through Christ, and become 
joint heirs with Christ, and we shall be like him. Our 
coming constantly in contact with the good, and choos- 
ing to do the right things, will prove us worthy. If 
we seek evil associations, and to do wrong, that will 
prove us rebels still. As we wrestle with principalities 
and powers of darkness, we are to put on the whole 
armor of God, and stand having our loins girt about 
with truth and having on the breastplate of righteous- 
ness, as we read in Ephesians VI., "Praying always in 
the Spirit, and watching.'' 

We must learn in this life the need of vigilance, ac- 
tivity and faithfulness, also the necessity of patient 
consecrated endurance to the end. You will find this 



39 



C&e Bea0on TOp 



world is just fitted for these lessons, and also to learn 
to love God and His righteousness, and to hate sin. 

(See Ephesians I. 3-12.) "Blessed be God . . . 
who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, in 
heavenly places in Christ." Blessed with what? Spirit- 
ual blessing. Blessed where? In heavenly places. 
Blessed when? Before the foundation of the world, 
"According as He hath chosen us before the founda- 
tion of the world." Blessed how ? In Christ. Blessed 
why ? That we should be holy and without blame be- 
fore Him in love. Having predestined us unto the 
adoption of children by Jesus Christ, to himself ac- 
cording to the good pleasure of His will. Predesti- 
nated? Yes, destined before. Before what? Before 
the foundation of the world. Predestined to what ? To 
be God's children. Why? For His good pleasure, 
which He hath purposed in Himself. In whom also 
we have obtained our inheritance, being predestinated 
according to the purpose of Him who worketh all 
things after the counsel of his own will : that we should 
be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in 
Christ. For whom He did foreknow, He also did 
predestinate to be conformed to this image of His 
Son. We are not predestined to be lost but to be 
saved. Everybody is predestined to be saved with the 
proviso that we accept of the salvation offered by 
Christ, and that we trust Him, love Him and obey 
Him. Thus we bring ourselves by our own choosing 
into sympathy with God and His work. 

Then the Holy Spirit attends to the new birth, opens 
our spiritual eyes, to see and know the great truths 
of Spiritual life, and we become "The Sons of God," 

40 



Ci)e iRea0ott COijp 



and can claim all His promises as they are given in 
the Scriptures, everlasting joy and everlasting life. To 
learn these things, and to prove ourselves, we begin 
our warfare in this life, fighting against sin wherever 
we find it, whether in ourselves, the world or the Devil. 
We will learn by experience that our most potent 
weapon is prayer, and our strongest defence is faith, 
which is the gift of the Spirit. That a certain victory 
is within the reach of all who in this testing warfare 
will turn from the rebellion of sin to the side of the 
Prince of Peace is shown in 2,d Peter II. 4: "For if 
God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them 
down to hell, and delivered them into chains of dark- 
ness, to be reserved unto judgment," and spared not 
the world but saved Noah, and spared not Sodom and 
Gomorah, but saved Lot, does not this prove that "the 
Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly, and to reserve 
the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished"? 

LIBERTY PROCLAIMED. 

These angels bound in chains of darkness have an 
ofifer from Christ of freedom. John VIII. 32, "Ye 
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you 
free." "Ye are of your father, the devil, and the lusts 
of your father ye will do." "When he speaketh a lie, 
he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar and the father 
of it." "Because I tell you the truth, ye believe me 
not." Here Christ shows these Jews that they are the 
children of the devil and in bondage to him, even be- 
fore the earth was formed. "Before Abraham was, I 
am," and yet Christ explains that if they would receive 

41 



Cfte iReagott ffllhv 



the truth as He offered it to them, they should be 
made free. Christ, the "I am," is able. "If the Son 
shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." 

Jesus is mighty to save. Thus, "I proclaim liberty 
to the captives and the opening of the prison to them 
that are bound." Isa. LXI. I. 



AFTER WORDS. 

If my little book shall cause some to consider who 
shall be found at last among the saved the object of 
my work will be realized. 

Amen and Amen. 



4a 



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